Bigger then us
by imnotyourhooker
Summary: Ash is nothing. She lost her fins when she crossed lines and saved a human(or so she thought) boy and is now stranded in a small town trying to become something she never was. When she meets the boy alive and well will she be able to handle herself? Will she blame him for everything? Find out! Please don't base on summary
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own anything, except the OC characters I made.**

I never thought I would become one of them. I never thought all the horror stories my mother told me when I was growing up were true. I never thought it could happen to me.

I never thought. Period.

The rain was coming down harder today than it had in a very long time. Most of us stayed away from the surface, not wanting to get tossed around even more then we were. But I didn't mind it; getting tossed around by the water was the only way I ever felt like I was normal. Normal people get tossed around in this ocean every day and laughed and smiled about it. During a bad storm like this was the only chance I had to be normal, part of something bigger than me.

I snuck away from the group of girls I was with, claiming I saw something shiny and wanted to grab it before the sand buried it. Shiny things always worked with these girls here, they were obsessed with looking in to them and admiring their perfect face and perfect hair and perfect body- they would laugh in their reflection and always ask the same question. _Wouldn't humans be so jealous of us?_

I swam and swam until I was near the usual cliff I went to. Under the cliff was a little beach where I liked to lay when it was sunny and just soak up the rays. Feel something warm instead of the cold that was always around me. I popped up above the surface and took the first deep breath of air of the day. It felt just like every day I did this but something was a little off. There was a strange smell that came along with it, but I ignored it and laid back. I laid my arms to my sides and stayed still as I could as the waves started.

But that's when the smell became stronger. I opened my eyes and watched as something fell towards me. I gasped and ducked back under the water wishing I just stayed with my group at that moment. Before I could swim away though something hard hit my back. I struggled to get out from underneath of the heavy object but I couldn't, not until a wave knocked the leech on my back loose. I began to dart away before I noticed how warm I was. Whatever was on me was…warm. Like the sun rays warm.

I turned back slowly and watched a dark lump sink farther and farther down. I bit my lip and was about to turn back around before my impulse took over. I dove down towards the sinking lump and found me about to get tangled in the seaweeds. I shook my head and sighed, I hated seaweeds-they did nothing but cause trouble.

I grabbed a limb and tugged but the mountain was stuck. I sighed before slicing through the weeds with my nails, maybe filing them like this was good for more than eating fish. Once I felt like I could tug again I did and this time the thing moved. It grabbed back a hold of me and didn't let go as I dragged the thing back to the surface.

When I busted through the surface I pulled what felt like dead weight on to the little beach under the cliff. I heard deep shouts in the distance, too deep for them to be my 'friends'. I looked at what I saved for the first time and noticed it was a boy. Well more like a man. He had to be six feet or more, dark russet skin, black hair and a deep gash on his side that looked like it was disappearing-and fast. I put my ear to his chest and felt a soft heartbeat, getting stronger every beat. The deep shouts got closer and that's when I dove back into the water. I saved him, that's all that matters.


	2. Chapter 2

The girls kept asking for days if I had the shiny thing that I said I saw but I just kept saying the sand buried it. They looked disappointed every time but would move on from the subject quickly. I kept quiet though, I was becoming distant since that day. I had saved a human boy. I knew I shouldn't have but I didn't think. He looked so helpless tangled in those weeds. I knew there was no way he could have gotten out by himself.

As the day carried on the girls and I just laid on a reef below looking up at the sun trying to break through the murky water. I decided to stick to staying hidden instead of going to lie on the beach and soak up the warmth. But suddenly I felt something wrong. My eyes closed shut from the pain that was searing through my bottom half. I clamped my hands over my mouths trying not to get the attention of the other girls. I inched away slowly and swam as best as I could away. I had to get away.

Once I couldn't see them I finally felt what was happening. My fins were melting away; the beautiful dark purple scales I had taken so much pride in were disappearing. I wanted to shout to my mother but I knew she was long gone. She had disappeared years ago, without a trace. I could have shouted for the girls but they wouldn't understand what was happening. They never heard the stories like I did. They stories my mother swore to me were true but I would never believe. The stories that were now happening to me and there was nothing I could do.

I was becoming human.

I swam with what was left of my fins to the surface and stroked to the shoreline. I was trying hard not to cry. How could this happen to me? I saved someone's life! Yes, it was a human but shouldn't the ocean just be proud I saved someone; it was more than the other girls ever did. After a few moments I felt the last of my life slip away. I reached down and touched skin on my bottom half. I pulled my hand back up fast and kept it to my chest. I was fully one of them. I was fully a human.

I shook my head thinking about just getting out of the water that had betrayed me and getting to the shore.

After what felt like forever I was finally on the tree line side of the shore. I tried to stand up and run to hide myself but all I could do was fall. I was pretty much useless at the moment. I couldn't even walk; the water gave me legs and didn't even let me know how to walk. I was stranded on the line of water and sand not knowing what to do. I was completely exposed for the first time in my life and I didn't like it.

That's when I quiet shouts though. I turned my back to them and just kept my head in my hands. I didn't want to be seen, I wanted to be left alone. But the voices just kept getting closer and closer.

"Excuse me miss. Are you okay?" It sounded like a little guppy was talking to me. Very afraid of the next move and very afraid of what was going to happen. I nodded and wiped away the few tears that had fallen from my eyes. I opened my mouth to say something but I couldn't get any words out. I felt the sand shift though as the guppy moved closer. I felt her get to my height on my side and laid a shaky hand on my bare shoulder.

"It's below sixty degrees outside and you're naked. You're going to get sick miss. Come on with me and I can get you warmed up. I mean if you want to…," the guppy left the choice up to me whether or not I wanted to sit here and die or accept my new life. I opened my mouth again and fought the words out.

"Yeah okay, let's go," I turned my head and finally looked at the guppy. She was extremely tan and her hand looked very dark compared to my white-blue skin, she also had long pin straight brown hair and deep brown eyes that showed compassion in them. She smiled once she realized what I had said and stood up waiting for me to repeat the action. "I can't stand," I whispered hoping that she noticed she just had wasted for time but she didn't. Instead for whispered hold on and run down the beach with long lean legs. Legs I knew that would never be mine. I looked down at my half for the first time.

They were short, making my once six foot long fin into about three feet. My upper half had to make me about five feet in total, give or take a few inches. I was no longer beautiful and tall, I was now short and a human. My thoughts were shaken though when I felt something soft and warm wrap around my shoulders. I nodded in thanks as she wrapped she arms around me and pulled me up. Before I even had a chance to fall she wrapped her arms around my waist and took each step slow with me. Once we were in the woods I turned back once more and looked out to the ocean, to the traitor who had done this to me for saving someone's life. I shook my head and turned back around to the gup- girl who was holding on to me.

"My name is Ash," I whispered and waited for her to stop paying attention to helping me walk and look back at me. When she finally did a bright smile beamed on her face making her beyond beautiful then any human in any story I had ever heard about. "My name is Kim," she said back and with that she was back to focusing on the walking. But I could only think about one thing.

Wouldn't the mermaids be jealous of _us_?


	3. Chapter 3

We walked in silence, while she walked in silence and I was kind of dragged. She didn't seem to mind it though; she was more occupied of making sure the cloth she wrapped around me was covering everything until it hit my knees. After a few more moments of just our breathing she finally stopped and sat me down softly.

"I have to go and grab some help so we can carry you up steps and stuff like that okay? I promise I'll be right back Ash," she waited for some kind of reaction for me but I gave nothing. If she came back she came back, if not then I could find my own way of getting help in my new life. No big deal right? She took off running and was too soon covered by the trees. I was now alone again but this time in the woods and far away from the ocean.

I scooted back and leaned against a tree wrapped the cloth around me completely and resting my head on my knees. I was exhausted; swimming that kind of distance without fins took a lot out of me. I began closing my eyes and letting my now dry hair cover the rest of me. But after a few seconds I felt a burning sensation on my shoulder. I cried out in pain before reaching behind me and feeling along the smooth surface. I felt nothing weird until I got to my left shoulder blade. Something was breaking through my skin and it was scaring me. Did all humans have this happen to them? I bit my lip until it was dripping with blood; I wanted nothing more than the pain to subside.

What seemed like forever to me finally came Kim running through the thick brush. I looked up and wiped the new blood away, smearing it in with the old dried up blood. Kim stopped in her tracks in front of me and looked behind her waiting for something else to come out, a man to be exact. A man who looked similar to the one I saved, but a little bit different. He was maybe a little bit shorter, lighter hair and no wounds on his side. I kept my mouth shut as Kim stretched out her hand for me to take, which I did quietly.

"This is my boyfriend Jared, he's gonna help," she said with nothing but love in her voice with the mention of him. I never really saw love before my eyes, I only heard stories and they were the ones I rarely listened to. Love was something humans made up to get what they wanted. But I was a human now too right? Would I do that too?

We started walking again with Jared holding me up which made things easier. He was warm just like the other man was; he was warm like the sun rays. Kim was walking in front of us making sure nothing got in my way and tripped me up. Jared would hit my left shoulder every now and then hitting that one spot on my back but I kept quiet, not wanting to cause a problem for the people who were helping me.

Soon enough though we cleared the forest and made it into someone's backyard. Kim turned around and smiled at me before running up the back steps to the rickety old house in front of us. She pushed it open as far as it could go and waited for Jared carried me up the steps. Once we were up he sat me down gently in the door way and stepped back letting me stand on my own. Kim said goodbye and an love you to Jared before moving me out of the way and shutting the door.

"Come on, let's go get you cleaned up okay?" She grabbed my hand then and smiled gently. Kim was nothing but kind to me. To a girl she didn't even know. If she was ever a mermaid, the others were eat her alive.


	4. Chapter 4

Kim had helped me shower in the downstairs bathroom, not wanting me to push myself any farther then I had too. It was weird sitting in the bath tub with a girl I just met on the counter. She was quiet though, let me wash my body, scrubbing until I was bright red and all the sea salt was gone and then doing the same to my hair, letting all my old life wash away. After sitting in silence still I turned to face Kim with one question on my mind.

"Kim what's on my back?" I asked still feeling the burning and itching in the one area. I scrubbed that spot too so you would think if something had latched on me from the water it would be gone. Kim tilted her head and then stood up and walked over scared to startle me. I waited as she moved my extremely long and thick hair out of the way and when she did she gasped.

"It's beautiful," she whispered and slowly touched my back sending me hissing in pain. She quickly apologized and kneeled down before me. "I didn't see you had a tattoo before," she whispered again and handed me a towel to dry my hair off after I washed it. I looked at her and shook my head slowly.

"I don't have a tattoo," I whispered back and stood up from the tub, turning to look in the mirror and what I saw shocked me. It was a mermaid who looked like me, very long gray hair and a dark purple fin but the scales were slipping away turning into legs…just like what had happened a few hours ago. I blinked a few times and thought it was a joke. Why would the ocean leave me with this image? So I was forever reminded of my past? Forever reminded of what I had done? But what I had done was not so bad in my mind, but in the unforgiving ocean's mind, it was the worst thing you could ever do.

"Do you want to get dressed now?" Kim asked quietly bringing me back to reality, back to my life now. I nodded and stepped out of the tub carefully being well aware of my knees shaking. I think all the walking I did do today was starting to sink in, I was getting the hang of it. I wrapped a huge fluffy towel around myself and rang out my hair the best I could. I had never cut my hair, mermaids were supposed to have this long beautiful flowing hair.

"Kim do you think you could cut my hair?" I asked before she opened the door to lead us out in the hallway. She turned around slowly and nodded before sitting me back on the tubs edge. She started cutting my hair until it was a little below my shoulders. Once she was satisfied with her work she pulled me back up and let me look in the mirror. I looked different with shorter hair, more normal then out of this world. I nodded at Kim in thanks before following her out to the hall and down to the stairs.

"Do you got this?" She asked with a tiny smile before climbing the first few steps and I followed one after the other, clinging to the railing for dear life.

After getting dressed in black baggy sweatpants and a blue baggy tank top Kim picked up her phone and punched away until she clicked it close and looked at me.

"I live alone here; my grandmother left me this house when she passed away. You could stay here if you would like? I have an extra down the hallway or one on the bottom floor if you're more comfortable with that," she smiled at the end of the rant and looked hopeful.

"Kim you don't know me," I said as I looked out the window at the setting sun. It was even more beautiful out in the open then it was from just watching it down below. She shrugged and sighed before talking again.

"Do you have anywhere else to go?" Kim had a glint in her eye like she knew my answer. I shook my head slowly before standing up and taking baby steps around the room. "Exactly, Jared and a few other guys will be over soon. It's kind of like a hang out night for us," she said as she made her way to the closet and pulling out pink plaid pajama set and changed with no shame. I looked out the window once more before the sun completely disappeared. I guess I would have to get use to this…


	5. Chapter 5

The whole night while Kim was downstairs I was lying on the bed trying to figure out my next plans were. Kim said I could stay here, that she would love the company since she lived alone. I knew that I would have to find a way to make money in order to buy my own clothes and food, not wanting to just live off the hospitality. If the ocean was going to force me to be a human then fine I will be a damn human, and a good one at that. Kim could teach me how to act and dress, I could teach her how to have a backbone and be confident so people didn't eat her alive-like the mermaids.

At some point I must have fallen asleep because I felt Kim crawl into the bed next to me. She whispered a goodnight to me and gave a little hug before falling into a deep snoring sleep. Once I was woken up my body fought the sleep it needed, after today I knew I was exhausted but I just couldn't fall back. I groaned around three in the morning and slowly crawled over Kim and out of the bed. I stretched feeling every muscle I used today and I could hear them sigh in relief. I looked around and bit my sore lip before walking towards the door and opening it and shutting it softly making sure she doesn't wake up. I slowly crept down the stairs and went to the first floor.

I walked around slowly looking at all the beautiful and happy pictures on the walls. Kim and people that look like her, Kim and Jared, Kim and people that look like Jared, and in every picture it was like the love was rolling off of them. This was family, not what I was use to in the ocean. Those girls were jealous of any one who looked better and would probably kill you in an instant too; they were thieves and killers of the people who dared to swim in the open water. I shook my head and wondered if I really cared about the fact that I was now human. It already seems to be going better than it ever has as a mermaid.

I was about to turn around and head up the stairs to go back to sleep when I felt a tug towards a picture in the living room. I followed the tug and was placed in front of a huge kind of family portrait picture of people. I saw Kim and Jared but also people that were in the others around the house. The girl with scars, the guy that was always beside her, a little girl on the shoulders of a guy with curly hair, but in this picture one person stood out.

It was a boy-no a man- with shaggy hair and a dark look in his eyes. He was about six foot or more and had russet skin like the others. I raised my finger to trace the man when I felt the warmth coming from the one spot. Warm like the sun…

A long howl broke my concentration on the warmth and made me jump. I ran the best I could on my still new legs and opened the locked door. Outside was quiet and misty making things look ever creepier then they were. The street lights didn't help much but I didn't need to see, just hear and that's when I heard it again. Another howl, an even longer and deeper howl which made me get a small smile on my face. Wolves were a real family too just like all these people in these pictures.

I would have a family too somehow. In this new life I would have a caring and loving family like Kim has or the wolves.


	6. Chapter 6

Throughout the next few days Kim and I stayed inside, just enjoying someone new to hang out with. I watched the sun rise and set almost every day and always found myself lingering towards the picture with the boy full of warmth. And today was no different than yesterday; we woke up and took showers before we started the coffee machine and making something to eat. But as we sat at the small kitchen table I asked Kim if I could go out today, alone. I could her freeze in her spot for a moment but she brushed it off and looked up at me.

"I don't see why not," she shrugged and went back to shoveling eggs into her mouth but after another few minutes she started to talk again.

"Where are you from Ash? I know you can't be around here, everyone knows everyone here," she chuckles at the end and pours more coffee into her mug and smothered in with sugar and creamer, cutting the real bitter taste out. I took a long sip from my own cup while thinking of an answer but she pulled out another question before I had a chance.

"Why were you on the beach naked too? You didn't get raped or something did you? Oh god, please say you didn't," I could hear her voice rise in panic and finally I got her off with a loud laugh. She looked me like I was insane before she chuckled a little too, waiting for an answer still.

"I wasn't raped or anything like that, Kim I really can't explain to you where I am from, I don't think you would really understand just yet," I finally ended up whispering looking down at my barely eaten food and once I looked up could see a little hurt in her eyes but she nodded and put her hand on top of mine.

"You know you can tell me whenever you want," she smiled softly before chugging the last of her coffee and standing to take her empty plate to the sink. "Are you not hungry? You've barely ate since you got here," she wondered as she picked up my plate and emptied it into the trash can. I finished my coffee before washing the mug out and placing it back in the cabinet right next to hers.

Kim led me upstairs and started looking through her closet trying to find something that would fit comfortably on me and keep me warm. After a few moments of searching and tons of groans she finally pulled out a pair of black jeans, a black scarf and a long sleeve plaid shirt. She smiled looking satisfied with herself before closing her eyes as I changed, like she did every day. I chuckled softly and slipped off the sweatpants and tank top pulling on the jeans and green plaid shirt. When I was done she opened her eyes and reached to touch my hair and gasped softly.

"Ash your hair grew," she said quietly still stroking my once shoulder length hair to my lower back now. Within just a few days it all came back, my hair was a part of me and the ocean was never going to let me forget what I did. I would never truly be normal. I sighed and slipped on the black vans she had put out for me.

"When I get home tonight I will tell you all about myself and where I am from, I promise. But for now I'm going to go out and look for some sort of job," I smiled softly and gave her a quick hug before running down the stairs and out the door. My leg muscles have grown over the last few days and now can stand running for minutes.

I didn't really know where I was going so I decided to wing it. I walked down the paved road and tucked my hands into my pockets to keep them a bit warm. I was just content being by myself and observing everything around me. The world above is stunning and different. Everything below was dark and gloomy, nothing to be excited about or to ever smile about except when you find something shiny, then you have everything to smile about. As I continued to walk I found myself stumbling into the town. Maybe Kim was right when she said this was a one horse town.

I walked around keeping my eyes averted from everyone that walked past me. I looked at the stores and saw nothing but the basic needs for life. There was a small diner, a grocery store, a book store, and a gas station at the very end of the strip. I walked in to the diner and asked if they needed any help but they said it was all full but they would keep my name just incase an opening showed up. The grocery store was family ran said the girl with cropped hair and a bad attitude, she looked like one of the girls in the photo at Kims but I just nodded politely and left. The gas station was my last resort so I waited until after my visit with the book store.

I climbed the steps of the small book store and opened the doors listening to the bells above ring. I looked around for any sign of life before shouting out a hello. A small voice from the back yelled something back so I stayed and waited at the front counter for the voice to appear with a body attached. After a few minutes I was about to turn and leave, heading to the creepy gas station before I heard the voice again. It was telling me to come back towards it. I followed the voice to the back room and saw the lady with scars bent over a book. My eyes widen and my heart raced, I felt like it was about to pop. She turned to fully look at me and smile before asking what I needed.

"I-I was just wondering if you were hiring," I stuttered shakily before squaring my shoulders and acting like I belonged here. Over the past few days I watched a lot of movies and seen this playing out in a few scenes. She smiled sadly and shook her head, I sighed and was about to walk out before I talked again.

"I really need a job ma'am, I'll do anything," I felt like I was about to drop to my hands and knees and beg for this. I just wanted something normal in my life and if it was just making my own money and buying my own things, then that's what I would be doing. After a few seconds of thinking she nodded and grabbed my hand.

"I could use some help, god knows my husband would like me to have some. Come back tomorrow at ten okay?" She smiled and squeezed my hand tightly before turning back to the book she was enchanted by.


	7. Chapter 7

I slowly walked back to the house, remembering the path I took to get to the book store. I needed to remember it for tomorrow so I took in everything I could easily identify if I needed to. After a while I ended up back at Kims house and I knew it was time to tell her. I promised her and I wasn't about to break that promise and lose the only friend I ever really had.

I opened the door slowly and all I could hear was loud and deep voices, they were laughing and every few seconds I could hear Kim and maybe another girl lost in it. I gulped and walked in slowly taking off the vans slowly and carrying them in my hand. I was about to the stairs when I heard my name get called. I sighed inwardly and walked over to the living room to see giants, giants that kind of look like everyone in the picture on the mantel.

"Hey Ash," Jared said with a friendly smile, his arm lazily draped over Kim who was trying to get up and get over to me. I said hello quietly thinking he wouldn't hear me but I knew he did. Kim finally got over and stood beside me and gripped my hand tightly.

"Ash these are my friends. There's Quil, Embry, Jacob, of course Jared, Seth, and that is Paul," she pointed to the last one with a strained voice like she was trying to be civil with him. I smirked a little and said hello to all of them but when I landed on the man named Paul I froze. He was the man from the picture, the one that just radiated warmth. But he also looked familiar…like the boy I saved. My eyes widen and my breath got caught in my throat but then I felt Kim shift beside me. Paul pulled his eyes away from mine and I darted upstairs at full speed.

"What's wrong?" I heard Kim shout behind me as she followed me to the room we now shared. I tore off the scarf and tried to calm my breathing down. I was pacing like a mad man across the floor before she finally stopped me by grabbing my shoulders and leading me to the window seat to watch the sun set. She waited for a few moments before she asked again.

"What is wrong Ash? I have never seen you like that," she whispered like she was scared of what was about to come out my mouth. I waited a few seconds before taking a deep breath and looking at her.

"Kim what I am about to say may change the way you think of me forever," I whispered back quickly and pulled my knees to my chest. I could feel my heart beating insanely and I could hear my thoughts going everywhere so fast that I couldn't even understand them. I looked at Kim and watched her nod and grab my hands with a small smile. She had no clue what she was about to get into with me. She had no clue who she was dealing with and I was scared myself.

"Kim I am- I was- a mermaid. I was stripped of my old life because I saved someone when they fell off a cliff and I do believe it was Paul," I said slowly so she will catch everything, leaving no mistake for her to mishear. After moments passing with not a word from her I slowly stood up and began walking away. I took her silence as a kind of get out. But before I got to the door I was stopped by a running Kim hugging me and knocking me to the floor.

"I knew something was magical about you," she whispered in the ear before sitting beside me and waiting for me to sit up too. I gave her a small smile and nodded to her words.

"How was it down there? Did you have family or friends? Could you go on land at all? Could you ever go back to the ocean if you wanted? Is that way your hair is always growing? Why is your name Ash out of all mermaid names? Why do you think it is Paul? How old are you? What did-," I cut her off before she was able to say anything more. I chuckled at all the questions and tried to answer all of them before she thought of any more to fire at me.

"It was very dark and blank. I had family at one point but when there time was up it was up and as goes for friends it was more just like a pack, we stuck together so we wouldn't die or get caught in nets. I could go on land but I always had to have my fins in water. I can never go back to my old life; the ocean had called me a traitor and believes I'm not fit for the mermaid life. I can never really explain why my hair always grows, just everyone's does down there. My name is Ash because of my hair and eyes, my tail was a dark purple. I know Paul is the guy I saved from drowning, I just can feel it. And I am about 752 years old give or take a few," I finally finished with a deep breath at the end. I watched her take in all the information before her next question was asked.

"You don't remember your exact age?" She asked while helping me up and going to get me a pair of sweatpants and a tank top. I shrugged and began getting undressed while I waited for her to bring back my new comfy clothes.

"Under the water nothing changes, it is just always blank and depressing. No one really knows their birthday or how old they really are. We go by the seasons whenever we come up to the surface. I was born when the trees were bear, so winter is when I turn a new leaf," I told her as I pulled on the sweats and tank. I put the dirty clothes in the hamper and pulled back my hair into a bun on the nape of my neck.

"Are you still immortal?" She asked quietly changing into pajamas too. I bit my lip and looked out the window at the now night sky.

"I think I will start aging now. I look about eighteen so I think from now on I will age like a normal human," I finally answered and shrugged while she nodded taking in all this new information. We both walked to the door but before I turned the nob I looked back and told her about my new job. She squealed in excitement and said that she would order dinner tonight to celebrate, that she just had to get rid of the boys. Which I had no problem with at the moment.


	8. Chapter 8

The next few days I arrived at the shop thirty minutes before it even opened. I sat outside watching the other store owners come and get ready for the day. They all were usually yawning and still had one eyed shut but every day my eyes were wide awake and my mouth only had a smile on it. I was being a human and it felt so right.

Today was no different, I sat on the steps and waited for Emily to get there and open the door and start our coffee, even though I already had some at the house. Kim would always make sure to make some for me before leaving for her part time job in Forks. She apparently is a secretary at the sheriff's office and told me to call if her I needed anything, even wrote the number down for me and everything. She told me that she would help me get a phone whenever I wanted but I knew that I had no use for a phone. Kim and Emily were the only two people I really knew.

Emily finally showed up with a tall man trialing behind her, he looked like the rest of the men I saw the other night but something about this one screamed authority. Emily gave me a hug and unlocked the door to let us in. I took off the leather jacket I was wearing and tucked it into my little cubby under the front counter. The man behind me tapped my shoulder and held out his huge hand in front of me.

"My name is Sam. I'm Emily's fiancée; I just wanted to thank you personally for helping her out with this place. She really needed it," he whispered the last part and winked me with a smile playing on his face. I chuckled and nodded taking his hand in mind.

"My name is Ash, I really like working here. Emily is such a nice person for having me here," I say back in a quiet voice. I always wanted to whisper and tip toe around this place, it was like nothing in this store was meant to be disturbed and I wasn't about to break that peace it gave off. Emily came out and turned on the open sign to let the non-existent people outside know we were open. We never get anyone in here until about eleven, up until then I just read a book or two and Emily goes in the back and sorts through a bunch of paperwork. By two we take lunch at the diner and talk about ourselves and dreams. But I never said much, I really can't say I have a dream just yet. Emily on the other hand had tons.

"Ash, do you want to come over for dinner tonight?" Emily asked knocking me out of my daydreaming state. I looked up at her and saw both her and Sam had huge smiles on their faces waiting for my answer. I nodded slowly and could feel a smile creeping up on my face. I only seen people get invited in the movies Kim and I would watch every night before we go to sleep. It was so different being asked in person then what they showed in movies.

"Come over around six tonight, okay?" Sam said as he exited the shop not giving me a chance to answer back. I looked at Emily to see her smiling with a glint in her eye, like she knew something that I did not. She soon went to the back office and got to her usual busy work and pulled a book down off the self.

It was two before I even knew it and Emily said she was closing the shop down early to go home and cook for tonight. She gave me a tight hug and gave me directions to her house before she began walking towards the grocery shop. I began walking back towards Kims house before I was stopped by a burning hand on my shoulder. I gasped in shock that it reached my skin through the leather jacket and black shirt underneath. I turned around to see the owner of the hand that was still on my shoulder and who did I see? The man I saved.

I felt my heart beating faster and my eyes going wider as I craned my neck to look up at him. He was wearing jeans and a black shirt this time around, and had a sparkle in his eye that I have only seen in movies or read about in the books at the shop.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he chuckled and pulled his hand away from me. As soon as the hand dropped I turned back around to keep on walking but then I heard him following me. "Where are you going?" He asked three times before I finally turned back around and glared at me.

"I'm going home. I need to get ready before I go out to dinner tonight," I told him in the best fake confident voice I could manage at the time. The man who damned me to this life was right in front of me. But he didn't look like the monster I believed he was, he looked normal like he had no clue what he did. Which is true, he didn't have a clue.

"Dinner with who?" He asked with a tone of jealousy which he hid with a cough afterwards. I bit my lip and started to look at anything but him.

"If you must know, Emily Young and her fiancée invited me to have dinner at their house," as soon as I finished my sentence I turned to keep walking before I was once again stopped by the man.

"My name is Paul. I know you already know but I wanted to introduce myself formally," he stepped in front of me and blocked all my paths to keep on going so I had no choice but to stop.

"Nice to meet you Paul," I finally sighed and looked back up at him. But this time, something inside of me was pulled. Something was tugging on chest I wasn't sure what it was but all I know was that it was uncomfortable.

"You know this is the part where you tell me your name," he whispered with a small smirk on his face.

"Oh, it's Ash," I told him before holding out my hand for him to shake it but he didn't shake it. Instead he took it in his hands and held it up to his lips and kissed it. The tugging feeling got stronger as he held my hand but as soon as he let go and stepped out of my way it stopped. I was once again feeling normal and warm, I could feel it radiating off of the spots where his lips were. I said a small goodbye and continued on my way hoping he didn't see me blushing.

"I'll see you tonight," Paul yelled towards me before laughing. I looked back to see him still standing watching me and smiling. Paul was defiantly not like the others around here. The tugging told me that.


	9. Chapter 9

Once Kim got home from work we both showered and changed into new clothes for dinner tonight. I called Kim to tell her that I wouldn't be home for dinner but she already knew, Emily had already told her and that she was coming to. She was wearing just plain blue jeans and a hoodie where I was wearing plain black jeans and a dark purple shirt with my normal leather jacket. I told Kim once I get my money I would go shopping for my own clothes. I knew she didn't mind me borrowing her clothes but I felt like a lazy bum using everything she had. I wanted to be independent.

We climbed into her little blue Honda civic and took off down the road. I didn't really pay attention to anything but the tugging in my stomach. It was painful but at the same time pleasantly warm. I wanted to tell Kim but I knew I would just look crazy so I kept my mouth shut. Soon enough we were pulling into a long dirt driveway and were staring at a cute little home. The house seemed so full of life and so full of light that it almost hurt me to look at it. We stepped out the car and locked our hands together; she was telling me things would be okay with just a simple squeeze.

"You girls are right on the dot and I'm so glad you both could come," Emily came running out of the house before we even reached the front steps. Kim laughed and hugged her tightly while I stood awkwardly. Emily turned her attention to me in a few moments and took my hands in hers.

"I am so glad you could make it Ash. I really hope you enjoy tonight," she winked and led us both in the house with a huge smile lighting up her face but as soon as we got inside though I felt so out of place. Everyone was laughing and joking around and telling stories about each other, even Kim joined in by sitting next to Jared and cuddling into him. This place had family written all over it and I just didn't fit in.

"Hello Ash," I heard a deep voice come from the kitchen and I followed it. Paul was sitting at the table with two of the other men. I think they were Embry and Jacob but I still wasn't too sure on the names or people themselves, they all mostly looked alike. I looked at Paul and felt the tugging intensify which made me ball my hands into fists until my nails broke my skin. I didn't say a word as Paul stood up and walked over to me opening my hands back up. He looked back at my eyes with this look of pain but was quickly replaced with worry. He led me over to the sink and washed the blood away gently before wiping the water away with a towel.

"Thank you," I whispered before I pulled my hands back to my side and stared up at him. He didn't say a word as he walked back over to the table and pulled out a chair for me to sit by him. Jacob and Embry must have slipped away when Paul was cleaning off my hands. I slowly walked over and lowered myself into the chair. He gave me a small smile before saying he was glad I could come tonight. I nodded my head in response and started looking at the walls and all the pictures that covered them.

They were the entire pack in every picture and they all looked so happy to be around one another. Kim and a few other girls that I saw in the living room was in some of the pictures and in every one Paul always had an angry glint to his eye. I turned to look at him now and saw nothing but happiness in them.

"Why did you look so angry?" I asked as I pointed to the one picture where it was just him standing on the porch watching something off in the distance. I heard him chuckle under his breath and mutter something I couldn't catch. I looked back at him with my eyebrows raised waiting for him to repeat himself.

"I was waiting for something," he said with a mysterious tone and sparkle in his eyes. I nodded pretending to understand and was about to get up to go to the living room to see everyone else when Paul spoke up again.

"Do you want to go for a walk? Emily is still waiting for Sam to get back from the store with the steak," he explained when he saw the confusion on my face. I looked around to see there was food going but the food was nothing but sides. I turned back around to see a hopeful look in his eyes but no expression on his face. I nodded anyways figuring it couldn't hurt anything.

We snuck out the back door and back down the driveway. We were silent most of the walk until he finally told the cat to let go of his tongue.

"Favorite color?" He looked down at his feet and waited for me to answer but I was scared to, my answer was silly and I wouldn't be able to give an explanation. He looked towards me and cleared his throat waiting once again.

"Sun yellow," I whispered in a serious tone waiting for him to laugh but he didn't. All he said was gray back. I nodded and started to pull my long hair back in a ponytail, the best I could anyway. He chuckled and put his hand on mine to stop me. He slowly removed the ponytail and started it over again gathering all the hair into one giant tree trunk size ponytail. I said a silent thank you and kept on walking. Paul eventually caught up to me and smiled down at his feet.

"Where are you from?" He asked after a few minutes of walking in silence again. I looked up at him and stopped in my tracks. I only told one person where I really was from and I never came up with a story to explain to others where I was from. Once Paul realized that I wasn't going to answer he put his hand on my shoulder and said it was okay.

"One day you'll know," I told him and turned around to walk back to Emily's house. I felt too comfortable with Paul; I felt like I would let that secret slip and I couldn't do that yet. My new life just got started.


	10. Chapter 10

Dinner wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Everyone was friendly and I felt comfortable around them, kind of like I was one of them. No one asked me personal questions and no one questioned my appearance, they just took me for what I was and I was beyond grateful for that.

By the end of the night Kim and Jared were saying goodbye at the door and I was saying my own goodbyes to everyone else. Emily told me to take the day off tomorrow, that she was doing the same. I nodded with a smile thinking of how I could go exploring and see everything else in this town I have not. I made my way past the two love bugs and slowly walked down the porch steps and towards the car. But I was stopped by a hot hand on mine. I whipped around to see Paul standing behind me with a shocked look on his face.

"I didn't mean to scare you like that, I just wanted to say goodbye to you," he talked with so much honesty in his voice that it hurt. Everyone I had met so far had wanted nothing to do but help me or get to know me and I wasn't able to return that honesty, well except to Kim. I nodded and let out the breath I was holding.

"Goodbye Paul," I told him thinking that was the normal way. Just say goodbye and that was that, he would turn around to go back inside and Kim would join me in the car for the ride home.

"Will I see you again soon?" He asked instead of going back in the house like I thought he would. He had a look of hope hidden in his shadowed eyes. I bit my lip and truly thought about it. I felt comfortable around everyone I met tonight but something about him, he made me feel like I was safe and protected, that nothing could hurt me. It was a weird feeling that I couldn't understand just yet. I looked at the ground and slowly started nodding my head.

"Yeah, yeah you will," I told him with a soft voice hoping he wouldn't hear me but of course he did. I heard him laugh quietly and when I looked up his face was washed with relief.

"I promise I won't ask about where you're from again either," he seemed so sincere and happy that I just had to laugh and smile back but before he could say anything else though Kim came over with a dreamy look in her eyes and asked if I was ready to go. I nodded my head and gave a small wave to Paul. I climbed into the car and crossed my legs in the seat getting comfy for the short drive. I fiddled with the heat before I looked back out my window and saw Paul still standing in the yard with the moon catching his grin.

Once we got back to the house we stripped our clothes off pulling on pajamas and collapsing into the bed. I heard Kim start snoring before I even had a chance to say goodnight. I giggled and pulled the blankets up to my neck soaking in as much warmth as I could get. The warmth from these blankets though could not compare to the heat Paul radiated off of him. I turned on my left side staring out the window at the moon wondering why he was so feverishly hot. I started to think he was sick but then I just shook it off and began to think if he thought I was deadly cold. I chuckled and pulled my hair out of the ponytail I had it in and cracked my neck.

I closed my eyes ready to finally drift off until I heard the noise I haven't heard since the first night I got here.

The wolves were howling.

I jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs as quiet as I could without waking Kim or having the wolves stop. They sounded so close and I didn't want them disappearing as soon as I got to the door because I was so loud. I went to the back door and unlocked it still hearing them howling, talking to each other. I smiled and sat down on the little swing Kim had on the back porch. I laid down and wrapped my arms tightly around myself to keep some warmth inside. I closed my eyes and listened to every noise they made. Some seemed happy and excited where others seemed distant and harsh. Every wolf had their own voice and I was getting the chance to experience their conversation.

Soon though I got tired and felt my eyes getting heavy. The wolves were drifting off one by one and before I knew it my world was black but extremely warm, like the sun warm.


	11. Chapter 11

The next few days went back to normal. Work was back to normal; Sam would stop by every now and then to say I love you to Emily and a hug following with a hello to me. Emily would light up like the moon every time he came in to the shop; it was like they were meeting for the first time every time. Back home with Kim things were getting even better. We had our morning routine with our breakfast then work but once we both got home we would stay up half the night and gossip about our days and watch movies with popcorn. Jared was there almost every night too but he never interrupted us, by the look on his face he was happy Kim had someone other than him to watch her.

But even with all of this going on around me, there was still one thing on my mind that I just couldn't shake. Paul.

Every now and then when things got quiet around me my mind would drift towards the thought of him. To his question that freaked us both out. I never came up with an excuse story because I figured people would over it, Kim was the only one who knew and she swore on Jared's life not to tell a soul. Paul looked generally confused and hurt when he saw my reaction. But when I told him that one day he would know his whole face lit up like Emily's does. I still can't tell if I was being serious about telling him or if I was just trying to make him be happy again.

I was knocked out of my once again thoughts of Paul when I was walking home from work. I heard beeps behind me and as I turned around it was a beat up black rusted truck. I knew it wasn't Kim or Jared, both of them had nice shiny vehicles that looked new, this truck was far from that. I stood still as it got closer to me and waited for it to stop in front of me. Once it did the person in the driver seat rolled down the passenger window and gave me the brightest smile ever. Speak of the devil.

"Hop inside, I'll give you a lift to your house," he yelled over the thunder that was starting up ahead of us. I nodded deciding I didn't want to get wet and ruin a perfectly good pair of jeans and leather jacket Kim still leant me. I told her I would go shopping once I get my first pay and today was that day. I had a whole $205 in my pocket. I tried to give some back to Emily claiming there was no way I deserved this much but she just kept shoving it in my pockets.

I sat in the truck and buckled myself up feeling just heat everywhere I turned. Usually I was always cold and trying to put more blankets over me or layer my clothing but in this truck I was warm and comfortable.

"How was work today?" He asked like he was genuinely interested. I just shrugged snapping out of my mind and told him it was kind of slow, only a few tourists here and there. He opened his mouth to say something but he quickly closed it, deciding against it. I scrunched my eyebrows waiting for him to say it anyways but he never did.

"How was your day, Paul?" I asked in return and turned my face to look at him smile as I said his name. He quickly snapped out of it and started checking his mirrors, distracting himself in any way he could.

"Um, it was fine. Worked a little on this car that was found broken down outside of the town's line," he shrugged away his answer and started with the questions he did the other night. But this time he was being careful and beating around the bush with one.

"Favorite animal?" I answered saying fish quietly giggling to myself at the inside joke. I asked the same question and in return I got the answer wolves.

"Do you hear the wolves around here?" I asked quietly looking out the windshield seeing rain beating down on it. I couldn't see a damn thing but Paul seemed fine, like he could see through anything. I heard his breath get caught in his throat and choke a little before he turned to stare at me. I looked back over at him with a questioning look. He nodded slowly and began to smile.

"You hear them? What do you think of them?" He asked with a little quiver in his voice but his smile never fell.

"I think there a beautiful family," I whispered thinking it was actually a silly thing to say out loud. But when I turned to look back at Paul all he had was hope written across his face.

"Maybe you'll get to meet one soon," he whispered back to me and pulled in front of Kim's house before I got to question him on what he meant. I opened up my door and hopped out into the pouring rain and waved a goodbye at Paul. I yelled thanks before darting up the front porch steps and in the house. I busted through the door and yelled hello but was given no response. I looked out the window and noticed no cars were here, neither Kim nor Jared was home. I frowned and decided I didn't like being alone. I was always around someone now and it was amazing. Before I was always alone and depressing.

I went to take a shower and get all the dust from the book store off of me. It took over a half an hour to wash my hair, wishing I could just cut it like normal girls. But soon enough I was out and getting dressed into a pair of leggings and an oversized sweater. I headed downstairs and grabbed the picture off the mantel holding my hand to where Paul was. I could still feel the warmth as I laid on the couch with my eyes closed humming quietly. Soon the rain was sending me off into a deep sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

I was woken up by Kim running in the house and laughing loudly, followed by a deeper louder laugh behind her. I cracked my eyes open and looked towards the front door to see Kim and Jared laughing and whispering inside jokes with each other. I smiled before sitting up and stretching ready to give them alone time and try to find something to occupy my time. I sat the picture back on the mantel and made my way out but Kim spotted me trying to go up the steps and grabbed my hands in her freezing wet ones. I turned around without moving my hands from hers; I never minded the cold so why would I now.

"Jared and I are going to go on a movie date tonight," she stated with a silly smile on her face but the look in her eyes had a glint of mischievousness. I nodded my head and gave her a tiny smile and looked back at Jared who had the same look in his eyes.

"You're coming with us, Ash," Jared told me as he kicked off his boots and walked into the living room to sit down on the couch I was just sleeping on.

"What do you mean I'm coming? A date is only two people," I told them with confusion in my voice but was dragged up the stairs with Kim giggling in front of me before either answered me. Kim took me into our room and sat me on the bed before turning to the closet and digging through racks and racks of clothes. Soon she pulled out a pair of jeans, a shirt, and a dress along with a whole big case labeled make-up. I fiddled with the bottom of my shirt as I watched her dig through the bag silently but she turned towards me and putted at the dress.

"Put that on please," she gave me a sickly sweet smile before continuing her search for something. I slid off my pajamas I just gotten into a few hours ago and slipped into the black short dress which was strapless. The dress came a little above my knees and hugged me in the right places, it wasn't too tight but it also wasn't frilly like most of the dresses in Kim's closet.

"That dress looks a lot better on you then it ever did on me," she chuckled to herself before pulling out a few black utensils and leading me over to the vanity in the corner of the room. She started tugging on my hair that seemed to be getting longer by the day and started to try her best to pull it up. But after a few moments of struggling she gave up and threw it over my right shoulder and clipped it to stay. She started rubbing black and purple on my eyes which made the grey stand out ten times more.

"My tail was purple," I whispered as she stuck little diamond stud through my ears. She smiled at me and wrapped her arms around me shoulder.

"I bet it was a beautiful tail," she told me before going over to get changed herself. She slid into the black jeans with ease and then threw on the low cut blood red shirt. She threw me a pair of flat black ballet shoes and then slipped on a pair of black boots for herself. She came over to help me stand up and gave me a tight hug before pulling me over to the stand-up mirror in her closet. My eyes widened when I saw how nice I looked. I didn't look like a girl who was just trying to blend in like I normally did, I looked like a girl who wanted to stand out and show people who she was. I turned towards Kim and asked how she learned how to do this.

"I have a friend named Alice, she is a genius when it comes to fashion," Kim shrugged the question away like she didn't want to continue talking about this lady named Alice. Instead of pushing the subject I grabbed my leather jacket off the bed and followed her down the steps to the living room.

"Hey, you never did tell me why I was coming with you two," I reminded her of the question I asked a while ago when she first got home but once again I was not given an answer. That was until she took my hand and put it on the front door knob and nodded her head as she turned back to go get Jared who was sleeping on the couch. I raised my eyebrows in confusion but that was when the tugging started again and it felt like it was coming through the door. I flung the door open and came face to face with Paul.

He was wearing a nice button down flannel shirt with a pair of dark jeans and shoes that looked old and tore up. His mouth was hang in shock and his right hand was raised like he was about to knock. I bit my lip and looked down at the ground wishing Kim would come save me now.

"You look…stunning, Ash," Paul let his right hand drop while his left hand went to grab for mine. As soon as his left hand connected with mine the tugging stopped and everything was calm again. I gave a small smile feeling my face heat up like crazy.

"Oh good, you're here. Well we better get going except you two will have to drive separate; Jared hasn't cleaned the back seat of his car out yet." Kim explained as she was darting out the door with Jared in tow who was just smiling widely at Paul.

"I guess I'll be driving you then," he said as he kept my hand in his bigger one and led me down the steps and to his truck. He opened my door up and slowly helped me up so I wouldn't slip. Once inside I took off my jacket and waited for Paul to start up the truck. We were off in a matter of minutes for this 'date' that I think we were both set up on.


End file.
